Was it because of Ashkelon no longer being in danger? Was it for a lack of funding? Maybe, for some reason, it was simply impractical to build airtight bunkers in a place full of sick, possibly contagious human beings?

No. The construction works were halted because ancient tombs were found within hospital area, making it a knot in Rabbinical knickers. An airheaded lot of religious acolytes prevented a life-saving construction project because of supersitition and dimwitted idiocy.

20 days into the war, and the great masters of stupid had indulged the terrified citizens of Ashkelon by leniently allowing construction to proceed, as a part of “Pikuach Nefesh” (life-saving exception to the Halacha code).

Gee, thanks a friggin’ bunch, you blithering twerps!

There are some times in which I truly, in all sincerity, hate religion.